


The Witches Of Queens

by LuvBusters



Category: The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: Angst, F/M, Language, Mild Sexual Jokes, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-10-21 04:35:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20687591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuvBusters/pseuds/LuvBusters
Summary: The Ghostbusters deal with ghosts, witches and other such things at Halloween. Oh, and missing team members.





	1. Look Out Ray!

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray is seriously injured during a bust.

It’s three days before Halloween in New York, and the Ghostbusters have been quite busy. 

“Remind me again why we chose THIS as our career?” Peter asked as Ecto-1 sped through the busy traffic on the way to a call.

“To make money!” Ray enthusiastically replied. 

“I believe your exact words were ‘lucrative’ and ‘make money beyond our wildest dreams.’” Egon added, slightly sarcastically. 

“I needed a job!” Winston threw in. 

Peter rolled his eyes. “You know, maybe we should shut down at Halloween?”

“Why?! It’s our busiest time!” Ray said.

“My point. When’s the last time we actually got to enjoy Halloween? You know - the parties, the food…,”

“The drinking is what you really mean,” Egon remarked coyly.

Winston and Ray laughed.

Peter smirked at Egon. “Ya know, Spengs, your whole attitude has really changed since you and Janine have started dating. I guess getting laid on a regular basis has its advantages?”

Egon’s expression changed to one of slight annoyance. Then, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. “I guess that means Dana must be out of town?”

“Damn homeboy!” Winston laughed. 

Ray was too busy laughing to comment. 

“Just shut up and drive,” Peter replied sulkily, but he still grinned.

The men remained silent for the rest of the ride. Ecto-1 pulled up to an abandoned building just outside Queens. They geared up and prepared to go inside. 

Egon’s PKE meter was picking up readings of three Class 2 ghosts. 

“What is this place?” Ray whispered. 

“It used to be a shoe factory but got shut down about three years ago - went out of business,” Peter replied. “A friend of mine’s uncle ran some of the sewing machines. Rumor has it that the place became haunted after a mechanical accident killed an employee.”

“Oh yeah? I heard witches ran everybody out,” Winston commented. 

“Whatever happened, we now have have three Class 2 spirits closing in,” Egon reported, carefully monitoring his PKE meter. 

They pulled their throwers and prepared for it. Suddenly, all three ghosts appeared! One came from the rafters above, another from behind them, and the third from the far left corner of the room. 

“HIT IT!” Peter ordered. 

Egon fired at the first one above them; Winston spun around and fired at the one coming in from behind them; Peter and Ray fired at the third one. Everything was going fairly well until a fourth ghost showed up - from where they guys weren’t sure. 

“I’ll get it if you’ve got this one?” Ray shouted at Peter. 

Peter gave him a quick nod. He increased the power on his thrower and held the ghost in place. 

Ray fired at the fourth ghost, but it quickly dodged the stream. “Damn! Lost it!” He ran after the ghost as it retreated towards the back part of the room. 

“Ray, hold on!” Peter yelled, trying to stop his friend from taking on the ghost alone and away from the others. But Ray has already disappeared into the next room. “Son of a ….,” Peter muttered as he reached for the trap with one hand. He threw it out and activated it. “Trap open!” He yelled so the others could protect their eyesight from the intense light of the trap. Peter successfully captured the ghost, turning to see how his partners were faring. 

Egon had just managed to lower his ghost into the trap while Winston was still wrangling with his. It seems that ghost had a knack for dodging the streams as well. Peter and Egon converged and together, they were able to catch the ghost from three directions. Winston threw out his trap and activated it. The ghost screeched as it was being sucked inside the trap. Finally, they were able to get it inside. 

“Where’s Ray?” Winston asked, looking around.

“The moron took off after another ghost on his own!” Peter yelled as he started running in the direction he had seen Ray go in. 

Winston and Egon quickly followed. 

They found Ray laying unconscious in an upstairs room that used to house materials for shoe making. His pack was still powered up. But there was no sign of the ghost. 

“RAY!” Peter screamed, running faster to get to him. 

Winston checked him over for injuries as Egon removed the pack and shut it down. 

“He’s definitely got a concussion,” Winston said. Blood covered his hand from where Ray had apparently hit his head hard on the concrete floor. He continued to check for more injuries. He came across some bruising on Ray’s left arm. Winston unzipped Ray’s jumpsuit which revealed a bloody spot on his undershirt on the left side. “He needs a hospital; looks like he may have a punctured lung. His left shoulder is dislocated, too.”

“Let’s go!” Peter ordered. 

Egon grabbed the pack while Peter and Winston picked up Ray and carried him to Ecto-1. Egon jumped behind the wheel and raced to the nearest hospital. Peter radioed the firehouse to notify Janine. 

“I’ll contact Alice, let her know to meet us there,” Janine replied. She had become good friends with Ray’s girlfriend Alice. They’d been dating for nearly three months now. 

Within the hour, Ray had been rushed back to emergency surgery; Janine and Alice arrived and joined the rest of the team in the waiting area. Janine helped Alice calm her nerves. 

“How do you stand it, Janine?” Alice said quietly.

“What?” Janine asked.

“The constant threat these guys work with?”

Janine smiled tearfully. “I worry about it every single day. And I’ve cried my share of tears.” She laughed nervously. “I’ll probably be on Prozac or something in a few more years!”

Alice laughed a little, relaxing a bit more. “It could be worse I guess?”

“Never think that. Just tell him you love him every day and have faith,” Janine said. 

Alice pulled out a necklace. It was a simple fine gold chain with a pendant of an eye. 

“Wow! Looks a little creepy!” Janine said.

“It’s the Evil Eye. I wear one for protection from evil spirits. Guess Ray needs one, too?” Alice said. 

“Hmm, that’s something ALL the guys need!” Janine suggested. 

“My studies of witchcraft have brought it to my attention. I’ve just recently started wearing it.”

“What made you want to study that?”

“Like Ray, I had a family member who was into the occult. My grandmother actually practiced. But it wasn’t the black magic or voodoo. Those were forbidden! She practiced white magic, mostly healing and giving blessings over people. I dabble a bit in it, but I’m nowhere near the level she was at!”

Janine looked surprised. “Wow! You make it sound really cool!”

Alice just smiled. “As soon as I can, I’m gonna try one on Ray to help heal him faster. After a big old smooch, of course!” 

The two giggled, making the other Busters relax. 

“Leave it to Janine to bring out a laugh while waiting in the ER,” Winston said smiling. 

Egon and Peter smiled as well. 

“I wish Ray wouldn’t be so damn gung ho on calls,” Peter mumbled. 

“He’s like a kid at Christmas, Pete,” Winston said. “Don’t rake him over the coals for it.”

“I don’t intend to,” Peter replied. “But he’s gotta take it easy for a while.”

Just then, the doctor entered the waiting room. Everyone jumped up to listen to what he had to say.

“Hey folks, Dr. Stantz is going to be just fine. He did have a broken rib that had caused some slight damage to his lung, but it wasn’t completely punctured. The blood on his side was actually from a gash just under his arm; it was hard to see until we cleaned it up. His shoulder has been relocated as well. He is in and out of consciousness due to a moderate concussion; we’ve stitched the cut on his head. Otherwise, he’s ok. He’ll be sent to a room shortly; you can see him then.”

They thanked the doctor before he left, all breathing a deep sigh of relief. Soon after, a nurse directed them to the room Ray was being taken to. 

Alice was the first person in. She practically ran up to the bed, carefully wrapping her arms around Ray’s neck the best she could. He was awake and sitting up, with IV cords hanging from the side. She planted a kiss on his lips, causing him to blush profusely. She then stepped aside to allow the others to see their friend.

“Gee Ray! You can put Spengs to shame with those red cheeks!” Peter teased. He then gave him a brief hug.

Winston and Egon took turns, each giving Ray a soft pat on the shoulder. 

Janine gave him a hug, but not half as tight as the one he had received from Alice. 

Egon stepped back up close to his bedside. “Ray, as best you can, tell us what happened.”

Janine frowned. “Egon, do ya really think NOW is the right time for that?” 

“I’m afraid so, Janine. Whatever caused this is still out there somewhere. And the details are still fresh in his mind,” Egon replied sternly. 

“It’s ok, Janine,” Ray assured her. “I’m feeling ok right now. Let me tell you guys before the meds make me drift off again.”

They all nodded, waiting to hear what he had to say. 

“I was chasing a Class 2 ghost to the back side area of the building. I chased it upstairs and was getting ready to blast it. But then, I don’t know what happened. There was a bright flash of light. The next thing I knew, I was being lifted into the air, probably about four feet. Then, whatever force had lifted me just dropped me onto the floor. That’s all I remember.”

“Where’s your PKE meter?” Egon asked. “I don’t recall picking it up when I grabbed your pack.”

Ray’s expression was one of confusion. “ I … I don’t know. I had it during the chase.”

“Hmm, if we can locate it, the recorded readings would be in its memory,” Egon said. “That might explain the source of the bright light.”

“We can go back to the site,” Winston suggested.

“I think before anybody returns there, I should at least pray a blessing over all of you,” Alice announced. “I know enough about white magic that I could do that.”

“Please do! Anything to help keep them safe!” Janine agreed. She then stepped out of the room to check with the nurse for some extra blankets and pain medication for Ray. 

Alice instructed the guys to gather around Ray’s bed. She then performed a basic incantation that put a spell of protection on them. Afterwards, the guys stepped out to allow Ray and Alice some privacy. 

Janine returned with extra blankets, but she waited with the guys until Alice came out. “Here’s some extra blankets. The nurse will be by soon with some pain meds.”

“Thanks Janine. All of you - it means so much to me that Ray is so well cared for!” Alice said happily.

“You bet! But you’re the best person for Ray right now,” Peter said. 

“Yeah, take care of our boy!” Winston added. 

Egon gave Alice a warm smile. “Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need anything - day or night.”

Alice promised, then returned to the room. Ray had drifted back to sleep. She carefully placed another blanket over his legs and sat down in the chair next to his bed. 

“You want me to stop by and look for the PKE meter?” Janine offered. 

“You’d better let us do that,” Egon said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. 

“Yeah, we don’t have an extra proton pack,” Winston said. 

“Get on back to the firehouse, woman!” Peter teased. 

Janine gave Peter a glare and discreetly gave him the finger as she left the hospital. 

The guys laughed. 

“Man, Egon! How do you handle that firecracker?” Winston asked. 

Egon smiled. “With extreme caution.” 

The Busters took Ecto back to the building. They powered up and cautiously retraced Ray’s steps. Egon picked up no new readings. They spread out but not too much while looking for the missing PKE meter. After several minutes, Peter finally found it. 

“Hey! I got it!” 

Egon and Winston rushed over, looking at the busted meter. 

“It was over here behind this old conveyor belt,” Peter told them. 

“Wonder how it got way over there?” Winston wondered aloud. “That’s a good fifty yards!”

“Perhaps when Raymond was lifted into the air?” Egon theorized. 

“Think you’ll be able to get any readings from it?” Peter asked Egon. “It’s pretty beaten up.”

Egon took it from Peter and examined it more closely. “I believe I can.” 

“Alright. Then let’s get the hell outta here before something else happens!” Peter suggested. 

They agreed and headed back to the firehouse. By the time they arrived at the firehouse, the sun was setting. The men were surprised somewhat to see Janine’s car still there. 

“I figured Janine would be gone by now?” Winston said. 

“Nah, she ain’t leaving without saying good night to her man!” Peter teased Egon. 

Egon just smiled. But his smile quickly faded once Ecto-1 pulled into the garage area. The three men jumped out of the vehicle as fast as lightning. 

The entire office area was completely trashed. Janine’s computer had been smashed, the phone was lying on the floor off the hook, her desk chair slid across the room. But she was nowhere to be found. 

They split up and searched the firehouse frantically, calling her name over and over. Finally, Egon noticed something - something that should have been seen first, but likely overlooked due to their adrenaline rush. 

“Peter! Winston!” Egon yelled. 

Within seconds, they rejoined Egon in the garage area behind Janine’s desk. Egon’s face was ashen as he pointed to the desk top and the floor behind the desk. Blood had been smeared everywhere. Apparently, Janine was badly injured and had tried to defend herself against an intruder. 

“Oh God! What’s happened?!” Peter yelled in frustration. 

Egon had taken out his PKE meter. “Whatever happened, this was done by something quite powerful.”

“How powerful?” Winston asked. 

Egon gave the men a grave look. “It’s off the chart.”


	2. Why Janine?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys are shocked and distraught over Janine’s decision.

The guys searched around the desk area, desperate for clues as to what had happened to Janine and where she might have gone. 

“Any chance she might have taken a cab to a hospital?” Winston suggested.

“Good idea! I’ll call New York - Presbyterian!” Peter said. He set the phone back on the desk and was connected by the operator. 

Egon looked distraught. He was obviously worried beyond comprehension, but he was trying to maintain his calm composure. 

Winston stepped over and laid his hand on the physicist’s shoulder. “We’ll find her. You know these Brooklyn gals: they don’t give up!”

Egon gave Winston a wary smile, taking a deep breath. Suddenly, Peter’s voice made them jump.

“I’ve found her! She IS there! Just arrived a few minutes ago! They’ve got her in the ER now!”

Without a word, the men got back in Ecto-1 and headed towards the hospital, sirens blaring and lights flashing. Upon arrival, a nurse took them back to where Janine was being examined. They all stopped short in the doorway. 

Janine’s clothes had been ripped in several places. She had a busted bottom lip and various cuts and abrasions on her arms and legs. Her right ankle had been severely sprained but not broken. But the worst injury was a deep gash cut along her abdomen on the left side. The nurse was preparing to stitch the wound once she had finished disinfecting it. 

She looked at the guys, her eyes instantly lighting up. Egon rushed to Janine’s bedside, but she subtly shied away from him. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head so that the kiss landed on her cheek instead of her lips. He pulled back, silently attributing her reaction to basic paranoia from the experience she had just suffered. Peter, however, noticed it and made his way over.

“Hey Janine, let me get these guys outta here so you can rest?” Peter suggested.

Janine smiled at Peter weakly. “Fine, but I need to talk to you before you leave - privately.” 

Peter saw the fierce determination in her eyes so he nodded in agreement. As he walked the others out to the waiting room, Peter spoke softly to Egon. “She probably just wants to talk; you know, a little “session” with the team psychologist?”

Egon smiled but Peter could see so many questions in the physicist’s eyes. He gave Egon a light slap on the shoulder, trying to reassure him.

Peter then returned to Janine’s room, closing the door. “Ok, Red. What’s this all about?”

Janine sat up straight in the bed. “I need you to take what I’m about to say seriously.”

Peter frowned and closed the distance between himself and her. “Ok. You got it.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After exhaling slowly, Janine opened her eyes. “I’m leaving.”

“What do you mean, leaving?”

“I’m resigning; leaving Ghostbusters.”

Peter’s face turned almost as red as Janine’s hair. “WHY?! CAUSE OF THIS?!” He gestured to the hospital room, waving his hands. “YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH WORSE THAT THIS AND NEVER LEFT!”

“Yeah! And I should’ve LEFT THEN!” her voice rising with each word. “I’ve had ENOUGH, Peter! ENOUGH! Do you know how many times I’ve had to cover for you guys just so my mom wouldn’t come to the Firehouse and physically remove me?! She’s convinced I’m gonna die before my time, and I’m starting to believe her!”

Peter forced himself to calm down. “Ok, so you’ve had some bad things happen and now you’re scared. I get it. But what about Egon? You know this is gonna hurt him?”

“Yes. That’s the other thing. I need you to allow us some privacy.”

“For what?”

“I need to talk to him now - privately. You’ll have my official letter of resignation as soon as I get out of here.”

Peter simply nodded and left. He returned to the waiting area, everyone anxious to hear what happened. He looked at Egon. “She wants to see you.”

“What did she say?” Ray asked impatiently. 

“She needs to see Egon,” is all Peter replied. He then sat down and stared out of the window.

Egon rushed to her room, anxiety filling every fiber of his being. He closed the door and stood by Janine’s bed. He reached for her hand, but she quickly pulled it away. “Janine? Peter said you needed to see me?”

Looking at the opposite side of the room, she began. “Egon, I don’t know what to say.” She again closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released it. She opened her eyes and turned her head, looking Egon directly in the eyes. 

He was taken back with the cold, emotionless look in her eyes. He briefly wondered if he had ever given her the same feeling when he had done the same with her in previous years - his attempt at hiding his true feelings from her. He swallowed hard. 

Janine continued. “I’ve given Peter my verbal resignation, effective immediately.”

Egon’s mouth dropped open for a moment. Then anger come over him. “Why?! I thought you were happy?!”

“I’ve been through a lot over the years, and I’m tired of it. I’d like a job where I’m truly appreciated, paid what I deserve, better hours and benefits. Not to mention, SAFER! I’ve had ENOUGH!”

Egon regained his composure. “I understand that. But surely there’s a way to work this out?”

“I’ve made up my mind, Egon.”

He started to smile. “Well, I won’t be able to see you as much every day, but at least I’ll still be able to spend time with you.” He reached for her hand again, but she jerked away. 

“About that ….,”

Egon’s smile faded. “What do you mean?

“I’m also ending our relationship.”

The color drained from his face in a matter of seconds. “Wh-What do you mean?”

“It’s over, Egon. I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Egon choked back the cry that nearly overtook his very soul. “Janine, I don’t understand. Tell me what’s happened?”

“You ever wonder what something would be like if you ever got it? You spend most of your time fantasizing what it would be like; then, when you finally get it, you realize it wasn’t really all that great?”

“I suppose?”

“Well, that’s what it was like for me when we finally got together. You’re not as great as I thought. So, I figured it’s time to be honest and set you free to do what you’ve always really wanted to do anyway - your experiments.”

“Janine, PLEASE! DON’T DO THIS! I LOVE YOU!”

“Please leave.”

“NO! There MUST be a way to ….,”

“I SAID LEAVE!” Janine screamed, her face reflecting pure rage. 

Egon took a step back from her bed, then regained composure. “I am truly sorry.” He left the room, returning to the waiting area. 

Peter had updated Ray and Winston on Janine’s resignation. They looked to see Egon approaching.

“Egon! Man, what happened?” Winston asked. 

Egon looked at the men, pain etched into his features. “I’ve lost her.”


	3. New Target

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys figure out why Janine has quit and broken up with Egon. But Peter realizes who the next target is. Will they be too late?

Peter could no longer stay calm. “What do you mean, you lost her?!”

“She admitted that she has not been satisfied with our personal relationship, and she does not want to see me again,” Egon said sadly. The others could see how difficult it was for him emotionally. 

“This is complete BULLSHIT!” Peter said loudly. “She can’t just QUIT! And she definitely wouldn’t DUMP YOU!” He said, focusing on Egon.

“Look, Janine obviously needs time to get things straight,” Winston said. “Why don’t we get back to the firehouse? See if we can figure out where we go from here?”

Egon and Peter both nodded, silently headed to the exit. The ride back to the firehouse was quiet. Peter was quietly fuming as he stared out of the window; Egon kept replaying Janine’s words and was desperately trying to figure out where he messed up.

Once Winston had parked Ecto-1, the men got out and started looking around Janine’s desk. 

“If only she had given us something to go on, Winston thought aloud. “If we knew what she saw and experienced, it might be easier to know how to fix all of this.”

Egon sighed deeply. He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He put the glasses back on and suddenly noticed something underneath Janine’s desk. He quickly got down on his hands and knees, reaching for the item. He stood and showed it to Winston and Peter.

“is that what I think it is?” Peter asked.

“If you’re thinking it’s a ghost trap that has been melted, then yes,” Egon replied. 

“Wow! What could’ve done that?” Winston asked.

“An entity with an extremely powerful PKE signature,” Egon said. “Which is likely what caused Janine’s injuries.”

Peter sat down in Janine’s desk chair, rubbing his temples with his fingers. “Ok. We know Ray was attacked by a ghost as was Janine. We don’t know yet what his PKE meter recorded, but the ghost was strong enough to pick him up and drop him.”

“And the bright light he talked about!” Winston added.

“Janine has gone bat shit crazy and quit, not to mention dumped Spengs. Why is there a melted down trap shoved under her desk?” Peter asked, his mind looking for a connection. 

“I’m going to the lab to get started on the PKE meter,” Egon said. “With all that’s happened, I haven’t had a chance to start.” He took the meter out of Ecto and went to the lab.

After they heard the door close, Winston looked at Peter. “Do you think Ray and Janine were attacked by the same ghost?”

“Sounds like it to me, but why?” Peter asked. “What could’ve possibly scared her that bad to make her quit and break things off with Egon? It doesn’t MAKE SENSE!” Peter slammed his fist down on the desk in frustration.

Winston’s eyes suddenly widened. “WAIT!” His yell made Peter jump. “That might be what happened!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Peter asked.

“You said it yourself! What could’ve scared her that bad?!”

“I’m not connecting the dots, Zed!” 

“Janine tried to trap this thing but failed. So she hid the trap under her desk, maybe as a way of telling us something. Not to mention how long has she been chasing Egon? She wouldn’t just dump him out of the blue for no reason.”

Peter sat there, putting the pieces together. “You might have something there! But why? Why would she sacrifice herself like that? Throw away everything that’s ever meant anything to her?”

“We need to talk to Janine again,” Winston urged. “Make her tell us.”

“Let’s wait until she’s out of the hospital first,” Peter suggested. “Let her calm down and think we’re going along with this. We’ll catch her when her guard is down.”

Winston nodded in agreement. 

Just then, Egon opened the lab door and practically ran downstairs. “We’ve got a problem!”

“Just now figuring that out, Spengs?” Peter replied sarcastically. 

“The readings on Ray’s PKE meter! It recorded what I believe to be the same entity that attacked Janine!”

“So, what are we dealing with?” Winston asked.

“A witch. A very powerful witch.”

“A ghost witch? It shouldn’t have picked up a human, right? Not unless it was set to pick up biorhythms?” Peter asked. 

“Yes. This entity is a ghost. But also a witch. The readings are off the charts like the one that attacked Janine. There are only a few things that I know of that can give off a psycho kinetic energy signature like this. After reviewing my reference books, I believe we are dealing with a Grand Demoness Malevolent.”

“Break it down, man. Ray’s not here to translate,” Winston said.

“My apologies. This entity is the leader of a group of ghosts that use witchcraft as their power to cause suffering and harm to humans for their enjoyment.”

“So, the head witch, who’s the strongest of them all, is hurting our friends just for the hell of it?!” Peter asked, anger building.

“Yes. There is no logical reason for her actions except to hurt people.”

“So Janine quit and broke things off with you to PROTECT YOU!” Winston said, excited that they had figured it out.

Egon’s eyebrow arched. “Hmmm, that would explain her recent behavior.”

“That bitch must’ve threatened Janine! She didn’t want you or any of us to become a target!” Peter pointed out.

“We need to get back to Janine!” Winston said.

“I still think we need to wait until she’s released,” Peter suggested. 

“Yeah. Maybe we should take Alice with us when we go to Janine’s place? You know, have another female there to help?” Winston suggested.

“Good idea,” Peter agreed. 

*********************************  
The guys had gone back to the hospital to visit Ray. Alice was still there, too. They explained to them what had happened with Janine, and what they had figured out at the firehouse. 

“Wow! I can’t believe Janine did that!” Ray exclaimed. “But I can understand why.”

“That must’ve broken her heart to do it,” Alice said sadly. 

“I’m gonna go see if she’s been released yet,” Winston said. 

“I’ll be here for a few more days,” Ray said sulkily. 

“That’s good; you’re safe here,” Egon said. 

“And you’ve got the cutest nurse around,” Peter said, giving Alice a playful wink.

Alice blushed and smiled. 

Egon noticed the necklace Ray was wearing. “Is that the Evil Eye pendant?”

“Yes! I gave it to him after you guys left last time,” Alice said. “But I guess he really doesn’t need it now that I’ve placed a protection spell over you guys.”

Egon’s eyes widened. “Janine was attacked because she wasn’t included in that spell!”

“Right! She had stepped out to get more blankets for Ray!” Peter added. 

Alice suddenly looked like she was going to be sick. “Oh no! I didn’t realize that! I was so focused on Ray that I ……,” she began to cry.

“Oh no! I didn’t mean to point you out to blame!” Egon said quickly, trying to help Alice feel better. 

Ray put an arm around Alice’s shoulder to console her. She slowly calmed down. 

“I need to place the spell of protection over Janine before something else happens.”

“So, does this mean that anyone close to us that doesn’t have that spell over them is a potential target?” Peter asked worriedly. 

“Yes,” Alice replied.

Now it was Peter’s turn to look sick. “I think we need to get to Dana’s place after Janine’s. She should be back from her symphony trip by now.”

Peter rushed over to the phone in Ray’s room and dialed Dana’s number. No answer. Peter felt a wave of nausea rush over him. “Maybe I should go to her place; you guys go to Janine’s.”


	4. Tensions Run High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine is back at the firehouse but tensions are running high between her and Egon. Peter deals with Dana’s disappearance.

Peter and Winston rushed out of the hospital on their way to Dana’s apartment. Egon and Alice went to Janine’s. Ray was going to be in the hospital for another day or so. 

Alice knocked on Janine’s door. After a couple of seconds, she heard footsteps approaching. As the door opened, Alice stepped back to allow Egon space to step in. Janine took one look at him and immediately tried to close the door. But Egon was a lot faster and was able to step into the doorway enough to prevent that. 

Janine stepped back as the two visitors walked inside. “ALICE! WHAT THE HELL?! I thought you were my FRIEND!” She screamed in anger. 

“I am! That’s why we’re HERE! Please, tell us why you REALLY quit and broke up with Egon!” Alice pleaded.

Janine sat down on her living room couch, looking emotionally exhausted. Alice sat down next to her while Egon kept his distance standing. 

Janine looked at Alice. “I had no choice. She was gonna kill everyone if I didn’t!” She then looked at Egon with tears in her eyes. “I HAD NO CHOICE!” She broke down into hysterical sobs, prompting Egon to switch places with Alice. He quickly put his arms around Janine and hugged her up to him. 

“I love you, Janine,” he told her gently. “We will fight this thing together. Please, just tell us what happened.”

She calmed down and began. “I was getting ready to go upstairs and clean up the kitchen. I had finished my work and didn’t want to leave until you guys got back. Then there was a bright light in the garage area. By the time my eyes readjusted and could see, there was this tall woman wearing a robe or something! She was as tall as you, Egon! She told me to surrender or die. Well, you know how I feel about that.”

Egon smiled slightly, knowing Janine is not a woman who likes being pushed around. 

“My Brooklyn side came out and I grabbed a ghost trap that I keep in my top desk drawer - just in case,” Janine continued. “But when I opened it, the woman blasted it! It started to melt so I dropped it. She reached across the desk and grabbed at me. I jumped back and stumbled over my chair; it slid across the room. The woman stretched out her hand and lifted me up into the air. Then she slammed me against the filing cabinet with a wave of her hand. After that, I got pushed across my desktop. My foot hit the computer and busted the screen; my arm knocked the phone off. It all happened so fast, I’m not sure how I cut my arm. I think my leg got cut when my foot hit the computer. I got up and tried to make it to my locker for a proton pack in there but I felt something pick me up again, then slammed me into the locker. That’s when I busted my lip. By that point, my clothes had been cut up a bit and I had twisted my ankle when I stumbled over my chair. I was dizzy after being slammed into the locker and got disoriented. When I looked up again, I saw a huge dog-like demon thing that I guess this bitch conjured up. It tried to attack me, but I pulled myself up quick enough to get away. It almost bit me but instead, it pawed at me. It’s claw grabbed my gut and slashed it pretty good. The woman snapped her fingers and the dog disappeared. She told me that if I stayed, she would make each one of you guys suffer a slow and painful death. And that she would make me watch!” She broke down into sobs again.

Alice then understood why Janine did what she did. 

Egon asked, “Why did we find the melted trap under your desk?”

Janine looked up at him, fear still in her eyes. “After the woman left, I knew I had to get to a hospital. But I also knew I couldn’t come back to the firehouse. I kicked the trap under my desk hoping you guys would see that something really bad had happened. I also had hoped it would let you know that whatever this woman was, she was very powerful and the traps won’t work on her.”

“Your idea worked,” Egon told her. “I was also able to figure out that the same entity that attacked Ray had also attacked you.”

Janine gasped. “So she’s already attacked one of you! It’s just a matter of time before she attacks everyone else! You shouldn’t be here!” 

“It’s ok, Janine,” Alice told her. “I’m going to place a protection spell over you. I placed one over Ray and the others while they were visiting him at the hospital. I didn’t realize it at the time that you had stepped out of the room. If I could’ve included you, this wouldn’t have happened!” Alice started to cry. 

Janine jumped up and ran over to Alice, embracing her in a hug. “It’s not your fault. Please don’t blame yourself.”

Alice stopped crying and the two women looked at Egon. 

“Now what?” Janine asked worriedly.

“First, I’m gonna get you properly protected!” Alice said. 

“Then, I get in touch with Peter and Winston to see if Dana is ok,” Egon added. “I’ll meet them back at the firehouse to discuss a plan of action.”

“If I’m protected, then I’m going with you!” Janine demanded. “You guys are gonna need help!”

He prepared to argue but he knew the feisty redhead well enough to know that he’d never win. And she did have a point. As powerful as this witch is, they’re going to need all the help they can get. Plus, Janine knows how to work the pack and trap. 

“Alright,” he reluctantly agreed. “But you stay in the back! You have a fresh wound; I don’t want the stitches to come loose or for you to suffer further injuries!”

“Yes! A spell of protection doesn’t make you indestructible,” Alice advised Janine. “It just helps keep you alive and injuries to a minimum.”

“Then do your thing!” Janine said. 

Alice performed the same incantation that she had done at the hospital. 

“Am I supposed to feel different because I don’t,” Janine said.

“No, you don’t feel anything,” Alice replied with a slight giggle. “But if the witch tries to use her powers against you again, the strength of her power will be diminished, and you won’t get hurt as badly.”

“But no show dogging!” Egon warned. “As Alice pointed out, you are NOT indestructible!” 

Janine gave him an innocent smile. “What do you expect me to do?”

“Anything the opposite of what I say,” Egon deadpanned.

Janine smiled. “I’ll be on my best behavior.” She gave him a playful wink, but took a step back when Egon didn’t respond to it.

Meanwhile, Peter and Winston had arrived at Dana’s apartment. After two knocks on the door, Peter got frustrated.

“Dana, open this DAMN DOOR!” 

“Hang on, Pete. Maybe she’s not home yet?” Winston said, trying to reassure his friend.

“No, she should be here by now! DANA!” 

Winston pulled on Peter’s arm, signaling for him to step back. Winston checked the knob and then kicked the door with a powerful force. 

They ran inside to find Dana’s apartment in a similar state as Janine’s work area was in. 

“DANA!” Peter screamed, frantically searching for anything that would help them find her. 

Winston had activated his PKE meter. “Pete, I’m getting the same readings as I got at the firehouse and when Ray was attacked!”

“SHIT!” Peter yelled. He continued searching the apartment. Finally, he sat down on the edge of her bed, catching his breath. 

Winston came in and stood beside him. “Pete, we need to call Egon, see what we need to do.” He spoke gently with one hand on Peter’s shoulder. 

Peter nodded. 

Winston picked up the phone off the floor; it usually sits on the nightstand next to the bed. He called Janine’s apartment, assuming Egon and Alice were still there. He quickly updated Egon on what they had found.

“Get Peter and we’ll meet you back at the firehouse,” Egon instructed.

“On the way,” Winston replied and hung up. “Come on, Pete. Let’s go figure this out.”

Peter reluctantly stood and, like a robot, followed Winston out to Ecto-1. He remained silent for the entire drive back. Egon, Alice and Janine had gotten back a few minutes before. 

Peter had a look of severe determination on his face. “We’ve gotta find this bitch! She took Dana!”

Alice and Janine gasped. 

It was then that it registered on Peter’s mind that Janine had returned. “Well, I see you’ve reconsidered on that little discussion we had at the hospital?” His voice wasn’t joking, which put Janine on edge. 

“I put a protective spell over her,” Alice replied, seeing the hesitation on Janine’s face. “We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

“Wait one minute!” Winston shouted. “Whaddya mean ‘we?’”

Alice stood toe to toe with the taller black man, her eyes as cool as steel. “I am going, too! You’re gonna need my help since Ray is incapacitated. I know spells and other things that I think I can use against this thing!”

Winston’s eyes stared hers down for a moment, then he caved. “Fine. Arguing with you is a lot like arguing with Janine: useless.” He threw a genuine smile at Janine. 

“And I’m going, too!” Janine weighed in. “I’ll stay in the back, that’s Egon’s rules.”

“Against my better judgement, but I do believe we need everyone for this one,” Egon said as he was coming down from the lab. 

“The readings at Dana’s apartment matches the readings that Ray’s PKE meter recorded and the ones here after Janine was attacked,” Winston advised Egon. 

“Hmm, let me go back to the lab and recalculate some things,” Egon said before rushing back upstairs. 

“Peter, we’re gonna get Dana back,” Janine said, trying to reassure the man she thought of as a brother. “She’s gonna be fine.”

Peter gave her a weak smile. “Yeah, you’re right, Big J. Thanks.” He leaned in for a tight hug. “You take care of yourself.” 

“I’m ok. Just a little sore,” Janine replied. She then ran upstairs to the lab, hoping to steal a quick moment with Egon.

She knocked lightly then continued into the lab. Egon barely noticed her presence. He looked up at her but resumed his reading.

“Egon, what’s going on? You’ve been ‘off’ ever since we were at my place earlier. 

“I really don’t have time to discuss that,” Egon said, flipping pages through his notes. “If you’ll excuse me, I am busy.” His cool dismissal was all it took.

Janine left the lab immediately, tears running down her face. Peter, Winston and Alice caught her as she was running past them. 

“Whoa! I thought you were staying?” Winston said as he grabbed Janine’s arm.

“I think Dr. Spengler would prefer it if I went home!”

“I think he’s just freaked out,” Peter said. “I mean, you did tell him you were dumping him for some reason.”

“I HAD TO! TO PROTECT HIM! TO PROTECT ALL OF YOU!” Janine burst into another round of sobs. 

“He’s just worried - afraid he’s going to lose you,” Alice said softly, wrapping her arm around Janine’s shoulders. “He just wants to keep you safe.”

Janine shook her head. “No, it’s something else! I don’t know what, but it’s something else.”

“Look, just pull yourself together for now and focus on getting this witch,” Winston said, his voice soft and gentle. “Then you two can take some time and talk this out. Ok?”

Janine nodded as she wiped away her tears. 

**************************  
She opened her eyes, not sure if she wanted to know where she was. She was in a room - an old building? Traffic sounds of the city were audible. “Can’t be too far out of the way,” she thought. She realized that her wrists and ankles were bound together with some sort of rope, unlike any she had ever seen. 

Suddenly, a tall woman in a robe appeared. She seemed to be stepping out of a bright light. “Ahh, so nice to see you are awake, my dear.” The voice was raspy. As she got closer, the woman removed the hood of her robe. She had long black hair; her cheeks were sunken in, her cheek bones and jaw bones visible. Her eyes shone a deep red. 

“What do you want with me?” 

“I want the Ghostbusters to come to me. And they will now that I have you!”

“They’ll kick your ass and send you straight to Hell!”

The woman cackled evilly. “They will try. But, I will be the one to send them to Hell! And I guarantee the one I need the most will be with them!” She cackled again before disappearing. 

She hung her head, tears flowing freely. “Oh Peter, please be careful.”


	5. A Sacrifice is Needed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghostbusters come up with a plan to find Dana and defeat the witch. But a sacrifice is needed - who will it be?

Peter was pacing the lab floor constantly. Egon was standing in front of the city map he keeps pinned up on one of his blackboards. He had been busy marking different spots on the map and mumbling something to himself. 

Finally, unable to take it any longer, Peter snapped. “Egon, will you PLEASE tell us what the HELL you’re TALKING ABOUT?!”

Winston touched Peter’s shoulder. “Easy, Man. We’ll find her.”

Janine and Alice were present as well. 

Egon turned to face them. “Based on Ray’s location when he was attacked, here where Janine was attacked, and Dana’s apartment, I am attempting to triangulate any possible connections as to the longitude and latitudes of these attacks.”

Peter and Winston stared blankly. 

“He’s trying to see if there’s a pattern for the attacks so he can figure out where Dana might be,” Janine translated.

“Since when do you speak Egonese?” Winston asked, grinning.

“She probably mind melded with him while they were going at it!” Peter teased crudely.

Egon frowned while Janine glared at Venkman. “I’ve learned how to maneuver through your lines of bullshit over the years; after a while, it just gets easier!”

“Ok, children!” Alice scolded. “Let’s get back to business! So Egon, what’s your idea of where this thing might be headed?”

“The amount of area covered between the firehouse, Dana’s place and Queens where we first encountered the entity is quite large. My opinion is that it’s not following a certain path; it’s hunting.”

“And using Dana as bait,” Winston added grimly.

“But hunting for what?” Peter asked.

“I’ve been researching the occult,” Egon said. He showed them a page in his book. “I believe this Grand Demoness Malevolent is trying to open a permanent gateway, but I don’t know for what. I need to see Ray to get further insight into how to deal with it.”

“Then let’s go!” Peter shouted, already halfway out the lab door.

***********************  
The group had all gathered in Ray’s hospital room. He was improving quickly but still being monitored. Egon showed him the book where he had found the information. Ray read through it carefully. 

“This is gonna be tough guys,” he said worriedly. “This definitely sounds like the thing Janine and I have seen, down to the bright light and telekinesis abilities.”

“What is she or it after?” Winston asked.

“It’s a She and she wants to open a gateway, like you said Egon,” Ray replied. “But before the gateway can become permanent, she needs a virgin to sacrifice.”

The guys all turned and looked at Janine.

“Hey, it ain’t me! That ship sailed a LONG time ago!” She replied.

“Anyway, what’s the gateway for?” Winston asked.

“It’s a gateway that will allow all kinds of creatures from her realm into ours,” Ray explained. “Once it’s made permanent, she’ll be able to travel back and forth as she pleases.”

“And rule over both worlds,” Egon added.

Ray nodded. 

“Well, we’ve gotta stop her!” Janine said.

“There’s gotta be something I can do!” Alice said. “I know some spells!”

“You’re not powerful enough to take her on!” Ray warned. “Please, don’t do this!”

Alice touched the side of Ray’s face. “I have to honey. This thing has to be stopped, and proton packs alone aren’t going to be enough.”

“You know what can happen!” Ray had extreme fear in his eyes. 

“I’ll be extra careful,” Alice whispered as she kissed him on the cheek. 

Janine, Alice, Winston And Peter left the room; Egon hesitated. 

“Ray, are you suggesting …..?”

“Yeah, make sure she’s protected at all times,” Ray begged. 

Egon smiled. “You know she will be.”

As the group headed back to the firehouse to devise a plan, Winston asked what everyone else was thinking. 

“Alice, forgive me, but why do I get the impression that Ray’s concern for your safety goes beyond just regular boyfriend/girlfriend feelings?”

Alice blushed. “You’re very perceptive, Winston. But yes, I could possibly be the target the witch is after.”

Peter’s head whipped around from the front seat of Ecto-1. “WHAT?!”

Janine gave him a look that said “None of your business,” but she didn’t say anything out loud. 

“I have not had sex yet,” Alice verified. “I could be the virgin she’s looking for.”

“Or perhaps she’s attacking us one by one to determine which one of us could be?” Egon theorized. 

“Or it could be a strategic move on her part to weaken our forces before an attack?” Winston added. 

“Either way, we need to come up with a plan to shut this down before anyone else is hurt ...or worse!” Janine said.

“Agreed,” Egon replied. 

***********************  
Dana remained in the room, her wrists and ankles bound by a strange force or rope. Her mind was reeling trying to figure out a way to get out. She saw a small window a few feet away. She could also make out a few odd pieces of machinery. The sun was starting to set. It took a bit of time and a great deal of effort but she finally was able to scoot herself over to the window to look out. 

“I’m in Queens!” she whispered aloud. “How will they know to look here?” Tears threatened to fall, but she willed them away. “They will; Egon will figure it out. He always does.” 

*************************  
Back at the firehouse, they were frantically trying to figure out where the witch could be hiding Dana. 

“You do realize that we’re walking into a trap?” Alice asked.

“Yes, but there is no other way if this plan is to work,” Egon replied. 

“Well, let's start getting our gear together!” Winston said. 

Peter and Alice left the lab with Winston, leaving Egon and Janine alone. 

“Egon, can we please talk before this all goes down?” Janine pleaded. 

Egon ignored her question as he started gathering the necessary tools needed for their plan.

“Will you please TALK to me?!” She cried. “You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder ever since you and Alice came to my apartment! What have I done?!”

He looked at her with an expression that Janine sincerely hoped she’d never see again. It was a cold, unemotional glare. “You told me things that I thought I would never hear you say.”

“To protect you! I knew what that witch was capable of! God only knows what that dog demon thing would’ve done to me if she hadn’t stopped it! I couldn’t bear to see that happen to you! Or the others!”

“So you would rather sacrifice your heart to save our lives? To save mine?”

“YES! Don’t you get it?! I love you that much that I was willing to walk away!”

“Just walk away - from everything in your life that has ever meant anything to you?!”

“What exactly is pissing you off, Egon?!”

“The fact that you could just dismiss what we mean to each other so quickly.”

“I was LYING! It killed me to talk like that!”

“Don’t you understand that if you had just told me the truth from the beginning, we could have avoided all of this! We could have helped you! You know I would do anything for you! But to just lie to me - I know you had your reasons but I need to know that if a situation like this ever happens again, do I have to suffer like this again?! How many times can you lie like that and expect me to just be ok with it?”

“So, it’s a trust thing? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Trust is the foundation for all relationships. And yes, my trust in you has been severely damaged.”

“What do I have to do to make you see that you can trust me?”

“I don’t know.”


	6. The Takedown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Busters and Alice face off against the witch.

Egon left the lab with Janine following a few steps behind. She wanted to cry but there was no time for that. She forced her emotions to the back of her mind and focused on what needed to be done. 

As Egon and Janine reached the garage area, Peter was packing Janine’s car with extra ghost traps and proton packs. 

Alice was intently studying Ray’s books, memorizing the incantation she would need to help take down this Grand Demoness Malevolent. 

Winston was packing Ecto-1 with the necessary gear with Slimer hovering close by. 

Everyone could feel the tension in the air, not only between Egon and Janine but in general. 

Egon addressed Slimer: “ok, now you understand what we need you to do?”

“Uh-huh, Uh-huh,” The little green ghost babbled, nodding repeatedly.

“Good! There’s an extra large pizza in it for ya if this goes according to plan!” Peter told him.

Janine had slipped into her jumpsuit; Alice was given one of Janine’s extra suits since they were basically the same size. 

The girls along with Peter got in Janine’s car with her behind the wheel. He gave Winston, Egon and Slimer a thumb’s up signal as Ecto-1 pulled out of the garage first. Janine looked at Egon, her eyes filled with a mixture of anxiety, sorrow, and love. His eyes met hers for a brief moment. It was in that moment that Janine saw a glimmer of hope - a hint of the love that he still had for her but was trying desperately to keep it hidden. She smiled warily as she shifted her car into drive. Alice was nervously fidgeting in the backseat, anxiety emanating from every pore. She knew everything was riding on her ability to keep the witch under control. 

Peter knew he needed to do something to lighten the mood. He turned halfway around in the front seat to face Alice. “So, how long have you been practicing witchcraft?”

“Well, I’ve always been interested in it ever since I was about six years old. My grandmother told me that she was a witch, but she only practiced white magic. You know: prayers, protection spells and incantations, healings and blessings.”

“Nobody ever turned her in or tried to arrest her?” 

“No. I’m from a small town; everybody knows everybody and a lot of people in town practiced. It wasn’t abnormal.”

“Well, that’s pretty cool. How much of this kind of magic do you know?”

“I’ve just recently began dabbling with the darker magic. All I’ve done is study it; I definitely won’t actively practice it. But, I’ve memorized a spell from Ray’s book that will weaken her enough for you guys to do your thing.”

“Just stay close to Winston,” Janine urged. “We’ve got a promise to keep for Ray.”

Peter gave Alice a playful wink. “That’s right. You’ve gotta be ready to welcome our boy home - properly.” He grinned and wiggles his eyebrows.

Alice giggled, blushing profusely. 

“Peter! Shut the hell up!” Janine yelled. 

He then turned his attention to Janine. “And you - don’t get your panties in a wad. Spengs will ease up after all this crap is over. You two just need some time alone.” He gave her the same grin.

Despite herself, Janine grinned, shaking her head. She followed Ecto-1 until they were two blocks away from the old shoe factory in Queens. Janine stopped her car in what used to be a warehouse section before the factory shut down. It was a few old vacant buildings where she could safely park unnoticed. Winston and Egon continued on in Ecto. They were going to park outside the old factory like they had the first time they took a call here. 

“Ok, Slimer. Stay put until we call, got it?” Winston asked. 

Slimer gave a thumbs up signal and hid in the back floorboard. Winston parked Ecto and shut it off. He and Egon got out and geared up. 

“So you think the witch really did bring Dana back here?” Winston asked as he strapped on his pack.

“Yes. It makes sense and is the logical thing to do if she is baiting us. She wants us to come to her and knows we are familiar with this area,” Egon replied as he finished putting on his pack. 

“So, return to the scene of the original crime, so to speak?”

“Precisely.”

Winston grabbed the proton rifle. It’s one of their newest inventions that he helped Ray and Egon design based on weaponry he had used in the military. It had the strength of two proton streams at full power combined. “Let’s hope this baby will do the job.” He gave the weapon a slight pat. 

Egon said nothing but Winston could see the concern in his eyes. 

“Hey man, don’t you worry. Alice knows what she’s doing, and Janine …. well, she knows what’s at stake.”

“That’s what worries me. If something doesn’t go as planned, she tends to overreact to compensate.”

“Have faith, brother.”

Egon’s smile became a bit stronger. “Let’s go.”

***********************   
Dana could still see out of the window, but she was still restrained. She could see Egon and Winston but she wasn’t sure if she should scream for help. “I don’t want to give them away in case they’ve got a plan,” she thought to herself. It bothered her that she didn’t see Peter, but she assumed that was part of the plan. 

************************  
Two blocks away, Peter and Janine were strapping on their packs. 

“Ok, we’re gonna close in on the old factory on foot. Winston’s gonna shoot off a flare when they’ve located the witch,” Peter reminded them. 

“Right! You and Janine will cover me and keep her busy while I join up with Winston,” Alice said. “He’ll help me get close enough to her while she’s distracted. Then I’ll begin the spell that will weaken her.”

“And we’ll be ready to trap her!” Janine said. 

“How long do we have until the spell wears off?” Peter asked. 

“It’ll hold her for about five minutes. But, we’re a day closer to Halloween. If we don’t stop her before midnight, her power will multiply,” Alice replied.

“Then let’s make sure we get the bitch tonight,” Peter replied. 

They started to make their way to the factory. 

*****************************  
Peter’s group made it just a few yards away from the factory. They huddled behind Ecto-1 and waited for the signal. 

Meanwhile, Egon led the way through the building using his PKE meter to guide them. They started up the stairs approaching the area where Ray had first encountered the bright light. 

Suddenly, the arms on the meter went crazy. “Get ready!” Egon warned Winston. 

They had already turned on their packs; Winston primed his rifle, then prepared to grab the flare gun. Egon clipped his meter onto his waist belt and grabbed the thrower tightly with both hands. 

The bright light appeared. Winston raised the flare gun and fired. Peter, Janine and Alice saw it from outside. They powered up and ran towards the building. 

“Welcome!” Winston And Egon heard the witch announce. The light dissipated and their eyes readjusted to the natural light shining through the cracked, open areas from the old roof.

They saw the robed woman in front of them. 

“I believe you have someone that we need back,” Egon said calmly. 

“Ah yes,” the witch said, pure evil dripping from her words. “She is safe enough where she is. But you know what I need.”

“Enlighten us,” Winston said cooly.

The woman raised her hands above her head, producing what looked like a portal beginning to open to her right. Winston and Egon could see numerous creatures staring hungrily at them from the other side. 

“This world is about to become mine, just as this one has,” she said, pointing to the portal. “And when I’m finished with this world, I will rule over all!”

“I’m afraid we cannot let you do that,” Egon said. 

Peter, Janine and Alice had gathered by the doorway to the room where the witch was. He looked at Janine who was looking at him, waiting for his signal. He gave her a nod, then they both stepped into the room behind Winston and Egon. 

“HIT IT!” Peter yelled.

All four Busters fired their proton throwers at the witch. She fired back at them but was having a difficult time keeping up with four streams. 

Alice had ran up and was standing beside Winston as he fired his proton thrower. She was wearing the Evil Eye pendant; Ray had insisted. 

She began shouting the incantation loudly over the noise of the proton packs:

“Behold this being, powerful and new;  
I call upon Nature, who’s forces are true!   
I call winds from the North, I call sun from the East;  
I call rain from the South, I call fire from the West!”

The Busters kept firing as they noticed strong winds blowing in from nowhere. Then almost excruciating heat could be felt. The wind started causing the witch to lose her balance, but she fought to stay upright. 

They all soon became drenched in rain as it poured in from a cloudless sky above them. Suddenly, balls of fire started raining down, mixing in with the rain. It started forming what looked like a force field around the witch. Peter held up his hand and signaled for them to stop firing. 

Alice sank to her feet, exhausted as the rain stopped. The wind had died down, but the force field was holding. The witch was frantically trying to push her way through but couldn’t. 

Janine jumped for joy until she realized her wound was hurting. “Alice, you did it!” 

“Prepare the trap!” Egon yelled. 

Janine threw it out, her foot ready to activate the opening mechanism. 

Winston stood in front of Alice to protect her while she was regaining her strength. He had put his thrower aside and prepared the rifle. 

Peter gave Janine a thumbs up. She turned back towards the entrance to the building and gave one of her ear piercing whistles. 

Within seconds, Slimer appeared. 

“Go Spud!” Peter instructed.

Slimer saluted and disappeared through the wall to the adjoining room. He searched each and every other room, finally finding what he was looking for. 

“SLIMER!” Dana screamed. 

Slimer babbled something then tried to help Dana stand up. He looked at the strange, glowing rope that restrained her wrists and ankles. He reached out to untie it, but he quickly pulled away. “OW!” He screamed, seemingly burned by the contact. 

“It’s ok, Slimer! Go get Peter!” Dana urged. 

Meanwhile, the witch was regaining her strength as the spell was beginning to weaken. With a snap of her fingers, the portal opened, releasing a demon dog and two werewolves. 

“Holy Hell!” Peter shouted. 

The witch cackled as the force field disappeared. “Hell is exactly correct!” 

Winston fired his rifle at one of the werewolves while Egon concentrated on the other one. Peter and Janine fired at the witch while Alice tried to lure the demon dog away with a metal rod she had found on the floor. 

The dog had Alice backed into a corner, snarling and growling at her. She was holding the metal rod down in front of horizontally, ready to use it as a barrier between herself and the dog’s mouth. 

Janine activated the ghost trap that was still placed at the witch. 

The witch only laughed as she blasted the trap with a bright light. Janine watched in horror as the trap melted just like the one at the firehouse. 

It took all the strength the Busters had just to hold their targets in the streams, much less throw out a trap. Just then, the witch snapped her fingers. The werewolves disappeared and the demon dog sat down in obedience, guarding Alice. 

“ENOUGH!” the witch screamed. With a wave of her hand, Dana appeared, standing beside her but still restrained. 

“DANA!” Peter shouted. 

“NO! DON’T!” Dana screamed. 

“With another wave of my hand, I could either destroy you,” the witch said, looking at Peter. “Or, I could destroy her.” She rubbed her fingertip along Dana’s jawline, leaning in close enough to lick her cheek with her tongue. 

Dana turned her head, disgusted by the action. 

“TAKE ME INSTEAD!” Peter insisted. He lowered his thrower, unstrapping his pack.

“PETER, NO!” Dana screamed. 

The others stood helplessly, each afraid to make a move lest they cause Dana or Peter to get hurt. 

The witch looked over at the demon dog guarding Alice. “Ahhh, there you are, my dear! I knew if I injured enough of your friends, you would come to me.”

“How did you know it was me?” Alice asked. 

“I didn’t, Not until I attacked your precious man. I saw briefly into his memories and knew you were the one I needed.”

Alice became enraged, feeling like both she and Ray had somehow been violated. “Take me and leave the others alone!” She stood confidently, despite the demon dog guarding her. 

The witch’s mouth turned upward into an evil grin. “Finally! You are making smart decisions!”

As Alice walked slowly past Winston with the dog by her side, she looked at him and winked. He nodded slightly, unsure of her exact plan. He discreetly reached his hand down to grip the proton rifle. Janine and Egon were given the same signal, as was Peter. 

Alice stood directly in front of the witch. She was still holding onto the metal rod. “Release her,” she demanded the witch.

“Who are you to make demands?!” The witch snarled.

“If I’m the one you want, then release her!”

“Very well,” the witch retorted with an evil leer. With a wave of her hand, Dana’s restraints were released but was then raised high into the air. The witch flipped her wrist sideways, sending Dana flying across the room. She was thrown hard against the wall, then falling down the stairwell below her. She lay at the bottom of the stairs, bleeding and unconscious.

“NOW!” Alice screamed. She turned around, stabbing the metal rod through the demon dog’s chest. 

Janine threw out a fresh trap behind the beast, triggering it to open. The dog was pulled inside. 

Winston fired the rifle at the witch, holding her in the stream. Egon and Peter fired on the witch, too. Slimer reappeared and flew directly to Dana, guarding against anything else that might show up.

The witch let out an unholy scream as she writhed under the strength of the proton streams. Janine unstrapped her pack and ran over and stood by the portal. Egon, understanding what he thought was the plan, gave Janine a nod. 

Alice closed her eyes, tilted her head upward to the sky and raised both hands. 

“I call upon the powers of all the Natures!” She screamed. 

A powerful wind, more powerful than the one before, blew through the room. 

Alice continued her incantation:

“By the power of pure magic, I bind this Demoness  
So that she may do no more harm!  
Where she will suffer for eternity  
Return her to her realm!”

With that, the wind formed itself into a mini funnel cloud enveloping the witch inside. The Busters continued holding her with the proton streams. 

“Walk her over to the portal!” Egon yelled over the wind howling. 

They carefully walked towards the portal, pulling the witch inside the funnel cloud. 

“Slimer! Get up here!” Peter yelled. 

In seconds, the little green ghost appeared next to him. 

“When I say push, you push that witch inside the portal! But don’t get pulled in, too! Ok?” Peter asked.

Slimer gave a thumbs up signal and followed closely behind the cloud. 

Once they had positioned the witch directly in front of the portal, Winston gave the order to shut down the streams. The witch was still screaming inside the funnel cloud as it swirled around her. 

Alice screamed: “SUFFER THROUGH ETERNITY!”

The funnel cloud dissipated, leaving the witch standing in front of the portal, but her wrists and ankles were restrained by what seemed to be the same kind of mystical rope that had restrained Dana earlier. 

“PUSH!” Peter yelled.

Slimer flew forward at high speed and pushed the witch backwards into the portal. Peter had ran behind the spud and grabbed his arm to keep him from going in too. They could still hear the witch’s screams.

“Get outta here! I’m gonna blow it to seal it permanently!” Janine shouted. 

“No way, Red! I’ll do it!” Peter said. 

“Dana needs you! Go! Get her out of here! I’ll be right behind you!” Janine demanded. 

Winston grabbed Peter’s arm and pulled him away. Slimer took off with them. Alice followed.

Egon stood by, hesitating. 

“Go! I’ll be behind you! GO!” Janine screamed. 

Egon reluctantly turned and made his way to the stairwell, looking back several times. He didn’t want Janine to be the one to do this. Once the auto destruct mechanism was started, she’d have one minute to get out. He made sure Peter and Winston had gotten Dana out, then he spared one more look at Janine. 

“Egon! For God’s sake, GO!” She pleaded. He turned and left.

Peter’s heart pounded against his chest and his stomach was knitted as he ran to Dana. He knelt by her side, gently taking her by the shoulder and turning her to face him. Her nose was bleeding as was her bottom lip. He carefully cradled her in his arms, his eyes misty as he fought to hold back his tears.

She opened her eyes, the left one so swollen from the impact that it remained closed. Her left arm was obviously broken, and Peter suspected a concussion. There was a bloody spot on the back of her head, most likely from when she hit the concrete floor. 

“Peter?” She softly and weakly called for him.

“Shhhh, I’m here Babe,” he whispered to her. 

“Did you ….. get it? The …. witch?”

“Yeah, we did. Just rest, ok? We’re gonna take you to a hospital.”

Dana reached for Peter’s hand. He grasped hers tightly. She looked so pale, and she tried shifting to her right side.

“Are you hurting anywhere specific?” 

“It all …. hurts,” she whispered. 

Peter quickly surveyed her body for other possible injuries. He started underneath her left arm and slowly worked his way down her left side. When his hand reached her upper abdominal area, Dana sucked in air through her teeth, her face wrenching in pain. 

“Ok, ok,” Peter said, stopping his examination and grasping her hand again. 

“Don’t worry about that,” Peter said with a wane smile. “I’m gonna get you all fixed up.”

“I … love … you,” Dana said as her eyes closed. Her hand fell limp in Peter’s; her head rolling to the side facing his chest.

He finally allowed his tears to fall. “DANA! DON’T LEAVE ME! YOU’RE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!”

Winston and Egon came running over. 

“Come on, Pete, we’ll get her to Ecto,” Winston urged, gently pulling Peter to his feet. 

Janine set the auto destruct sequence and positioned the pack at the edge of the portal - half of the pack sitting inside the portal and the other half sitting in the building. She hit the button to start the sequence, then ran as fast as she could to get out. 

Egon took Dana and carried her, situating her inside Ecto while Winston guided a shell-shocked Peter Venkman to the back seat. Egon turned and looked back at the building, his eyes searching for Janine. 

“Come on, Janine,” he whispered, checking his watch. “We’ve got thirty seconds left.” 

Winston had started up the engine and had it in gear, ready to roll as soon as Janine made it out. Alice was helping Peter care for Dana who was breathing but unconscious. 

Egon was counting the seconds out loud. “Twenty-five, twenty-four, twenty-three, twenty-two,”

Suddenly, Slimer screamed and pointed at the building: “JANINE!”

She was running as fast as she could, but Egon could tell she was limping. “RUN JANINE!”

She made it to Ecto just as Egon’s watch clicked down to fifteen seconds. Egon helped her jump inside, slamming the door behind him. “GO!” He yelled. 

Winston hit the gas pedal, speeding away. They had just made it to the safety zone (where Janine had parked her car) right as the proton pack exploded. There was a bright light as the ground shook. Winston stopped the vehicle for a moment to look back. 

“Damn! The whole building is gone!” He shouted. 

Egon opened the door. “I need to stay behind and make sure the portal was indeed closed.” 

“I’ll stay with you,” Janine said, getting out. “You guys get Dana to a hospital! We’ll meet you there!”

Winston nodded and took off. 

Janine and Egon got in her car and she drove them back to the site. They got out and checked over the area. 

Egon had his PKE meter activated but wasn’t picking up anything. “Good. It worked.” He turned and took a good look at Janine. She was walking towards him, her limp more evident. 

“You need to have your ankle checked,” he suggested. 

“Yeah, it’s the same one I sprained earlier. I fell down the last few steps when I was running out of the building.”

He noticed Janine was also holding her side. The closer Janine got to him, Egon saw why. “Janine!” He rushed to her, examining her lower abdomen. “You’re bleeding!” He quickly unzipped her jumpsuit and saw that her wound from earlier was bleeding. “You’ve opened up the stitches!”

“Damn! Must’ve been the steps I fell down,” she mumbled as Egon put one arm around her waist and supported her upper body with the other. 

“Let’s get you back to your car and to the hospital?” Egon said. 

Janine made it halfway to her car before her knees buckled. Egon smoothly scooped her up into his arms and effortlessly carried her the rest of the way. He helped her into the passenger seat and got behind the wheel. He put the car in gear and headed for the hospital. 

“You’re going to be alright; the stitches need to be redone,” he assured her. He reached over and squeezed her hand. 

She smiled through the pain. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I’m sorry, Egon.”

“So am I.”


	7. Go Get Her, Ray!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody is recovering. 
> 
> Happy Halloween!

The Ghostbusters waited anxiously in the waiting area. Janine’s injuries weren’t as bad as Dana’s. The protection spell Alice had placed on her had helped a great deal. But a human body can only take so much. Janine had only suffered a few cuts on her arms, a severely sprained ankle and the stitches on her abdominal wound had to be redone. 

Egon had kept his scolding comments to a minimum. He had specifically told Janine to stay in the back of the group, but he knew full well that without her help, they would most likely all be dead - protection spell be damned.

Janine was recovering quietly in her room with Egon sitting in a chair by her bedside. He kept going back and forth between her room and the waiting room, hoping for news on Dana’s condition. 

Finally, nearly three hours later, the doctor greeted the guys. Peter almost knocked his chair over when he jumped up too quickly. 

“Good evening, I’m Dr. Reynolds.”

“I’m Dr. Peter Venkman, Ms. Barrett’s boyfriend. Please tell me she’s gonna be ok?”

Dr. Reynolds gave them all a concerned smile. They all knew there was something bad coming. 

“She’s going to be fine, but her recovery will be slow. She has three broken ribs, her left arm was broken, and her spleen was ruptured. She also has a concussion, which we’ve closed the gash on her head with seven stitches. But, I’m afraid we weren’t able to save the child.”

Everyone’s eyes opened wide, especially Peter’s. 

“Wh-What? A … a ba-baby?!” He choked out the words.

“I’m sorry; I assumed you knew? She was just shy of being two weeks.”

Peter shook his head, fresh tears streaming down his face. “Does … does she know?”

“She does now, but she was as shocked as you. Apparently, her symptoms hadn’t started yet.”

“Can we see her?” Winston asked, seeing Peter was too stunned for words. 

“Yes, but one at a time please. And keep the visits short.”

The doctor led them to Dana’s room. Winston stopped by Janine’s room to update Egon. Janine was asleep, not able to fight the pain medication any longer. 

Winston accompanied Peter to the room, but he waited outside the door. “Go on, Peter. You two need some time.”

Peter gave him a watery smile before drying his eyes and stepping inside her room. However, he only started crying again once he saw Dana. She was sitting in a somewhat reclined position, propped up by several pillows. She was slowly coming out from the effects of the anesthesia. 

Dana turned to look at Peter, then she began to cry, too. Peter rushed to her, cautiously sitting down on the edge of her bed. He grabbed her hands and held them in his. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. They sat there, quietly crying out their sorrow together for the next few minutes. 

Dana took a deep breath, sitting back once her ribs started complaining. “I’m so sorry, Peter. I had no idea I was pregnant. I hadn’t even missed my period yet.”

“It’s ok, I promise,” Peter reassured her, squeezing her hands. “We’ll just have to try later.” He smiled warmly at her. 

“You … you want a …. baby?!” Dana asked, surprised. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“Sure! Why not?” Peter replied casually. “How hard can it be? I mean, yeah, there’s the nine months, weight gain, nausea, labor and delivery. But you’ve done it once already! Second time should be a breeze!”

Dana smiled despite her pain. “I don’t think it works that way,” she said with a slight twinkle in her eye. 

Peter leaned forward, inches away from her face. “I know. But seriously, if you think I can be a better father than my old man was, I’m all for it. I just don’t wanna be a disappointment.”

Dana leaned forward, bringing their faces even closer to each other. “You, Dr. Venkman, are much more of a decent man than your father could ever hope to be.” She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then sat back against her pillows. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I can get Janine to give you a good ass kicking if you ever need it.” She gave Peter a mischievous grin.

His patented Venkman smile appeared as Peter leaned back towards Dana. “Yeahhhh.” He gently placed another kiss on her lips.

“You know, it’s not gonna happen quickly? I mean, it could take months to conceive again?” Dana was slightly worried that Peter’s expectations might be misplaced.

“I know. Maybe sometime next year? That way, it’ll give us time.”

“Time? For what?”

“Well, your body has to heal first. I understand the basic mechanics. You can’t just jump back on the horse, as they say. And ……”

Dana stared at him, trying to figure out where this conversation was headed.

“It’s time I make an honest woman out of ya.”

Fresh tears streamed down her face, but they were happy tears this time. She nodded furiously as her voice wasn’t able to form the word.

Peter leaned over further and hugged her gently against him. “But I’ll ask you properly later. A ring, on one knee, the whole nine yards,” he whispered in her ear. He smiled as he felt Dana’s arms squeeze tighter around him. 

Once they broke the embrace and she laid back against the pillows, Dana wiped away her tears. 

“And, the practice for getting pregnant will be fun,” Peter said light heartedly, giving her a wink.

********************************  
It had been an hour and a half since Egon had been told about Dana’s condition. Janine had been asleep during that time. She was now starting to wake up, moaning when she tried to sit up, pulling on the new stitches.

“Easy! Let me help you!” Egon said. He adjusted the head of the bed so that she was in a sitting position. He also placed an extra pillow behind her back.

“Thanks,” Janine replied. “How long was I out?”

“An hour and a half,” he replied after checking his watch.

“Egon, I’m really sorry for not being honest with you,” she began.

“No, I’m sorry. I should’ve realized something serious was going on. You wouldn’t have just said that without a reason,” he replied, squeezing her hand. “I was afraid this last stunt was going to be the end of you.”

“Nah, I had it under control,” she casually replied. 

“Was that part of a separate plan?”

“Me and Alice come up with Plan B on the way to the old factory. We ran it by Peter; he was the one who told me how to start the auto destruct sequence.”

“I see.”

“He didn’t want to tell me, so don’t get mad at him for telling me. I bribed him.”

Egon’s brow arched. “With what?”

Janine smirked. “I told him I’d take care of his laundry and kitchen duties for two weeks and that I’d make sure Slimer stayed out of his stuff.”

“Hmm, that’s all it took?”

“And ….. twenty bucks.”

“Keep your money; I’ll settle that debt.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. 

“How’s Dana?” Janine asked. 

Egon’s eyes saddened. “She suffered a concussion which took several stitches to close, three broken ribs, her left arm is broken and her spleen was ruptured.”

Janine gasped. “Oh no! They removed it?”

“Yes, she can live without it, but she will have to take extra precautions to fight against infections,” Egon replied. “But, there was also something that no one knew about - not even Dana.”

Janine held her breath until Egon told her.

“She was pregnant, almost two weeks.”

She closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip. Then she looked at Egon. “How’s Peter taking it?”

“He took it hard, but I think he’s going to be ok. He told us he’s actually looking forward to trying again later on - after they get married.”

Janine’s mood lightened. “Oh, that’s wonderful!” 

“Yes, we’re all quite excited. But you need to rest.”

“But …,”

“No, Janine. The others will stop by after you’ve gotten some rest. You need to take it easy or you’ll reopen that wound again.”

Janine sighed. “How much longer am I gonna be here?”

“The nurse said you would likely be released tomorrow. But you’ll have to take it easy at work,” Egon replied. 

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t treat me like I’m an invalid.” She watched as a mischievous grin tugged at the corner of Egon’s mouth. “What?”

“I was just thinking,” Egon said casually, “you will probably need a little extra help at your place. Perhaps I could stay there for the first few days? To do things for you that might be uncomfortable?”

“You mean like reaching up into the cabinets for dishes, or getting a book down from the top shelf?”

“Exactly! We wouldn’t want your stitches to rip open again?” His eyebrow arched.

Janine grinned, a devilish look of her own. “Right, just in case.”

****************************  
The next day, both Ray and Janine were released from the hospital. However, Dana would need to stay for another two days. It was Halloween and Dana’s mother brought Oscar by to see her. Peter had called and explained what had happened. Dana’s mother had been babysitting Oscar when this whole situation had started. He had “conveniently” left out the pregnancy and miscarriage during his conversation with her mom, per Dana’s request. 

“She’s never been too keen on my dating a Ghostbuster,” Dana had told Peter. “She’s probably already on edge enough finding out about all of this.”

“Ahh, give her time. Janine’s mom was like that about Egon at first,” Peter had reassured her. “But after she realized how happy he makes her, she loves him too.”

Her mother entered the room, Oscar running towards Dana. “There’s my angel!” She took him from Peter as he carefully lifted him from the floor. Dana hugged her son up to her, trying to keep her tears back. 

“Ray! You look like you’ve seen better days yourself!” Mrs. Barrett said. 

“Yes ma’am, I’m recovering!” Ray replied happily. 

“And I think you need to be headed home!” Alice urged him, playfully pulling him towards the door. 

“Gonna head back to the firehouse?” Winston asked.

“Nope! I’m gonna keep him at my place for the next day or so,” Alice replied. “Where I can keep an eye on him.”

“Good. Give that rib and shoulder time to heal, man,” Winston said. 

“Take care, Dana; I’ll call you after you’re back home,” Alice said as she hugged her goodbye. 

“Thank you - for everything,” Dana replied.

“See ya later, guys! I’m going to catch a cab!” Alice said as she left the room.

Peter couldn’t resist. “Ray, she told us why the witch wanted her … you know … for the sacrifice?” He wiggled his eyebrows. 

Ray blushed. “Yes, I have been waiting until she was ready.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure she’s ready!” Peter insisted.

Ray looked at Janine for confirmation. 

“Well, she is taking you to her place.” Janine said with a smile.

Egon and Winston gave Ray a smile, too.

“Let me go; she’ll have a cab waiting by the time I get down there,” Ray said, almost a little nervously.

“Go get her, Ray!” Peter yelled.

Ray blushed, then practically ran out of the room. 

Mrs. Barrett looked at Dana confused. 

“It’s some inside joke the guys have,” Dana said, covering Peter’s crude joke. 

“I’m going to stay with Janine for a few days as well,” Egon said. “We’re going to let you rest, Dana.”

“Yeah, we’ll see you two later,” Winston excused himself, too.

“See ya!” Peter waved at them. 

“I’ll take Oscar back home with me in a while,” Mrs. Barrett told Dana. “But I think he’d like to spend some time with you two first. I’m going to the cafeteria.” She gave Peter a genuine smile as she left the room.

Once she had gone, Dana looked at Peter. “Wow! If I didn’t know better, I’d say my mom is coming around to you already!” 

“It’s my boyish charm,” he replied with his classic Venkman smile. 

“Oh boy,” Dana playfully groaned. 

Peter sat down on the edge of the bed, reached over and started a group hug with Dana and Oscar. Peter looked at Oscar. “Hey buddy, Whaddya say if me and mommy get married?”

Oscar just smiled, his eyes sparkling. 

“Peter, he’s just a year and a half. He doesn’t understand,” Dana said. 

“I know, but that smile on his face was worth it!”


End file.
